1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for installing a component group, comprising a piston and connecting rod, in a crankcase of an internal combustion engine. The crankcase is brought to the mounting position on a belt-type transport system. The component group is introduced into a cylinder opening with the interposition of a perforated plate. Finally, a connecting rod cap is screwed to a bearing half of the connecting rod.
In the prior art methods, manual and equipment-supported semi-automatic and automatic assembly operations alternate with one another. Thus in a first step, the component group is introduced into the cylinder opening, using a perforated plate. The piston and connecting rod are manually selected and aligned. In a further step, the connecting rod and connecting rod cap are manually joined to the crankshaft and prescrewed. The component is finally screwed in a special, separate screwing station. Because of the combination of manual and equipment-reinforced assembly operations at various positions along the crankshaft, the risk of incorrect assembly is great, requiring expensive quality control checking operations. The complexity of the sequence increases still further for the assembly of V-type engines, because there the number of possible crankcase and crankshaft positions is substantially greater than with in-line engines.